LANGUAGES OF JAVA. 17 



words he uses among his equals, if the polite lan- 

 guage affords an equivalent term. If it does not, 

 he uses as much as possible metaphorical or peri- 

 phrastic expressions. 



Two equals of high rank, both use the high lan- 

 guage, but it often happens that, for want of practice, 

 they are inferior in elegance of speech to the lowest 

 of the people who daily have intercourse with su- 

 periors of some degree. Besides these two dialects, 

 there is an ancient language, called the Kawi, 

 which is now become a dead tongue, and exists only 

 in old inscriptions, which no one understands. In 

 the western half of the island, again, the Sunda lan- 

 guage still lingers among the mountains, differing 



at the same time it contains many essential words of the modern 

 language of Java. The opinion I am inclined to form of this 

 singular language is, that it is no foreign tongue introduced 

 into the island, but the written language of the priesthood, to 

 whom it is probable, in early times, the use of letters was con- 

 fined." 



Of the Sunda, he remarks, that it is M the language of the 

 mountaineers of the west, or about one-tenth of the inhabitants 

 of the island. It has several uncouth sounds, similar to those 

 which prevail in the Celtic dialects, and that all the observa- 

 tions made respecting the Sunda language apply generally to 

 the rude and uncultivated dialect of Madura." 



While this work was passing through the press, I read with 

 great delight the concluding volume of Dr. Pritchard's Researches 

 into the Physical History of Mankind, (vol. v. published 1847.) 

 In the first part of this volume the reader will find the whole 

 subject of the Malayo-Polynesian races treated in a most admirable 

 and interesting manner. 



VOL. II. C 



O £" /* O r* 



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